Osa Seven takes 1897 to Brazil

Renowned visual artist, Osa Seven, solo exhibition, 1897: An Urban Contemporary Representation of Historic Benin Art, which is holding at the Muhcab Museum of Afro-Brazilian History and Culture in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ends on Sunday, December 1.

The exhibition, which began on November 14, also made a bold presence at the Black Consciousness Month in Brazil and the 2024 G20 Summit.

By reimagining Benin’s rich cultural heritage through a contemporary urban art lens, Osa Seven, in his own way, bridges the gap between past and present, offering a powerful dialogue and cultural context that challenges the boundaries of traditional art forms.

The exhibition, titled, 1897, commemorates the 1897 Benin Expedition.

This show, a reminder of colonialism’s destructive impact, marked a pivotal moment in the decline of the once-powerful Benin Kingdom. While triggered by a diplomatic incident, the expedition was part of a broader pattern of European expansion and exploitation, this event led to the tragic looting of Benin’s cultural treasures, including its iconic bronze sculptures.

These objects held profound religious and cultural significance for the Edo people representing deities, ancestors, and royal authority.

Osa Seven’s contemporary reinterpretation of these artefacts honours their historical relevance and artistic importance, offering a fresh perspective to the past and present.

By making culture the centre of this work, he invites viewers to reflect on the enduring legacy of the Benin Kingdom and the enduring power of art.

He said: “As artists, we are storytellers, this journey is about much more than art — it’s about sharing our heritage, telling our stories, and creating a deeper connection to our past and future, through our work. We have the power to shift narratives, inspire, and educate, seeing this resonate so strongly with audiences here in Brazil has been nothing short of beautiful.”

By employing a contemporary aesthetic, including bold colours, unconventional mediums, strong and intricate compositions that pay homage to his genre as a street artist, he subverts traditional representations of the Benin Kingdom.

The juxtaposition of the kingdom’s rich history with the jagged, fragmented edges of the artwork underscores the destructive impact of colonialism, while highlighting the abrupt interruption of cultural continuity within an environment that validates its contextual values. This innovative approach, merging street art with both historical and cultural depth, successfully engages with the exhibition’s theme.

This exhibition is more than just an art show; it’s a celebration of the Benin Kingdom’s enduring legacy and a powerful reminder of the kingdom’s resilience and its profound impact on global culture.